ONE
The NICU was unusually still tonight, with only two babies in the unit. All the other on-call nurses had either been sent home or gone on break.
It was too quiet.
Lauren Beck sat alone beside the newest arrival; a delicate baby girl tagged with the last name Reid. The baby had come five weeks early but already was proving to be a fighter by defying all the odds. The pediatrician on call, Dr. Covington, had declared Baby Girl Reid would likely be allowed to go home in a day or two, barring any complications before then. She had declared her remarkably healthy for a preemie. Lauren had heard her mother refer to her as Lily earlier that day, and the name seemed to fit the tiny infant. Delicate and beautiful.
Turning away from the sleeping babies, Lauren was about to settle in at the computer to update some charts when unease rippled through her. She looked over her shoulder; the practically empty NICU remained unchanged. Nothing stirred. Everything looked normal. But her nerves prickled. If her instincts were to be trusted, something wasn’t right.
The room remained silent except for the buzzing fluorescent lights illuminating the dark night. She resumed her work, hoping it would help to dismiss her nerves.
Earlier in the evening, another nurse had reported a strange phone call requesting information about one of the infants. It went against hospital policy to disclose information to anyone without prior authorization. The caller had become angry, threatening when the nurse had refused to answer his questions. At the time, Dr. Covington had told the nurses to be on their guard, yet she had felt secure enough to leave Lauren alone in the NICU. She must have thought the threat was minimal.
A tiny noise at the entrance to the NICU drew Lauren’s attention, and a shadow appeared at the door. She rose from her chair to investigate.
The NICU stayed securely locked at all times, but something made Lauren shiver, even though she knew she should be safe. She had the unsettling feeling she was being watched.
She was being silly. Only authorized hospital personnel had access keycards. No one else could enter without her allowing them in. Still, she moved cautiously toward the door to get a better look.
Reassuring herself that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and two babies, Lauren took a deep breath. The earlier phone call was likely just a coincidence. She was being ridiculous. The full moon shining through the hospital window and the quiet of the night were probably just making her jumpy.
She glanced in the direction of the two babies as she strode to the door. It was an odd time—so late at night—to be visiting the NICU, and she had to wonder at the reasons. These babies were her charges right now. Maybe not her children, but it was her responsibility to protect them. She took the responsibility seriously.
The hulking shape of a man filled the glass beside the door. He was scowling at her. His beanie sat low across his forehead and his jacket collar was raised. He wore no identifying hospital pass. Criminal was her first thought. She chastised herself for her snap judgment over his appearance and approached the portal.
“May I help you?” she asked through the speaker next to the wall, not daring to open the door. Her voice came out strong and steady, even though her heart was racing.
“I just wanna see my kid.” He pointed to Baby Girl Reid. Odd, considering the mother, who had arrived alone, had declared the father to be unknown on the paperwork.
Lauren couldn’t—and didn’t dare—tell him she knew that. If he was truly the father, he would have to prove it.
If she conceded he could be the father, it made it seem more plausible. But at the moment he had no proof.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in without a pass. If you’re a parent, you should have gotten one when you and the mother checked in.” She placed her hands on her hips, defying her fear by daring him to argue further.
“I didn’t come with the mother. I just got here.” His face was reddening beneath his beanie.
Angry. Great. Not what she needed from this beast of a man. She reminded herself she was perfectly safe behind the locked door, no matter how intimidating he looked.
“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to check with the mother. She can give approval and the staff will issue you a pass. You can come back once you have it.” Lauren turned to walk away, but there was a sharp smack against the double-paned glass. She jumped as her heart picked up the pace even more.
Deep breaths. She could handle this.
“Open the door!”
Turning, she saw the man rear back to strike again. The shatterproof pane vibrated violently when his heavily ringed fist connected with it. Her adrenaline throbbed in tempo with the jarred glass as he pulled a handgun from the waistband of his pants. How had he gotten past security with that?
Lauren wasted no time in running for the emergency alarm. The man was shouting at her as she pushed the button, an angry string of threats and curses following her across the room. He didn’t fire the gun, but its mere presence heightened her adrenaline. She knew the glass was also bulletproof, but she didn’t want to test it.
When the alarm began to sound, he fled, knocking over a laundry cart in the corridor on his way. He ignored it and kept running. By the time security arrived, he was long gone.
“Lauren, what on earth?” Dr. Covington burst through the door on the heels of security, expression anxious.
“A man just tried to break into the NICU.” As she explained what had just happened, Dr. Covington’s face paled.
“Thomas, get the mother down here immediately, please.” Dr. Covington directed the security guard to Ms. Reid’s room.
“Lauren, do you think you could identify the man if you saw him again?” Dr. Covington was on the phone, presumably calling the police.
“Yes, I believe so. Do you think the baby is in danger?” Lauren’s heart was still pounding, but concern for the baby overtook her.
The pediatrician didn’t have a chance to answer before the security guard returned, his expression grim.
“Dr. Covington, you said Ms. Reid, room 1204?”
The pediatrician looked up at Thomas with a concerned nod.
“Well, she’s gone.” Thomas crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“What? She can’t be. She hasn’t been discharged.” Dr. Covington checked a nearby computer monitor to be sure, short nails clicking against the keyboard. “Her OB is Dr. Worman. She hasn’t been released.”
Thomas shrugged and looked around the NICU once again. “Doesn’t look like she went willingly. It’s a mess. I’ll secure the room, but you’d best get hold of the police.”
“She should have had a protector in the room, a bodyguard. He arrived with her and said he would remain with her as long as she was here. Did you see him?” the pediatrician asked in a low voice.
Thomas just shook his head. “No sign of anyone.”
Dr. Covington returned to the phone.
Lauren watched in openmouthed horror when she spoke.
“I need to report a possible kidnapping and an attempted break-in to the NICU at Grace Memorial Hospital...” Dr. Covington said. “Mmm-hmm... No, I have a missing patient... Yes, the mother of a newborn in the NICU... Yes, I believe the two incidents to be related.”
When Dr. Covington finished with the call, Lauren approached. “What do I need to do?”
“Authorities are on their way. Don’t let anyone through that door unless you know them. I don’t care what kind of credentials they have.” The pediatrician approached the baby, checked her vitals and assured herself that everything was properly attached.
“Was that man really the baby’s father?” Lauren looked back toward the door as if expecting the man to return.
“I don’t know. Either way, he didn’t have clearance to see the baby. You did the right thing, Lauren.” Dr. Covington laid a dainty hand on Lauren’s shoulder. “The police will probably want to talk to you. I’ll have Vanessa paged back to the NICU. Her break was almost over anyway.”
Dr. Covington had little more than walked out when Thomas appeared at the door again, this time with a new stranger in tow. Lauren hurried over but stopped short when she got a good look at the man. He was broad-shouldered and tall. His blue eyes took in the NICU with a sweeping glance, seemingly unimpressed with what he saw. His sandy hair, contrary to the other things she noticed about him, was a little messy, and he wore a gray T-shirt that stretched closely over his muscled form. His blue jeans were slightly loose on his slim hips, and there was a gun in a black holster at his waist.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in.” She spoke before she could think better of it. She almost wished she hadn’t when his daunting gaze fixed on her face. “Dr. Covington’s orders.”
He pulled out a badge, lips pressed in a thin line. “Grayson Thorpe, US marshal. I’m here about the Reid child.”
Thomas gave her a nod to indicate it was okay.
“Oh, sorry.” Lauren unlocked the door and backed out of the way. “Well, that was fast.”
“Pardon?” His expression didn’t change much, but his tone hinted that he had no idea what she meant.
“Well, Dr. Covington just reported the incident a few minutes ago. I didn’t expect anyone to be here so soon.” Her forehead wrinkled between her brows.
“What incident is that?” He placed a hand on one hip. His head angled to one side just a bit. A slight curve to his lips indicated he might be a little amused by her scattered pronouncements.
“He isn’t here on behalf of the local police,” Thomas interjected. “He has other jurisdiction. I haven’t filled him in on what happened just yet. I thought it’d be better coming from you.”
As Thomas stepped back, Lauren was stricken with undue panic at the thought that he might leave her alone with this man. Other jurisdiction? What was that supposed to mean? She was out of her element here.
“Thomas, wait. You’re the one who discovered the mother missing. You should stay.” Lauren fought to keep her calm voice from warbling a bit. The security guard’s presence reassured her. It was familiar. Not like this man before her now.
“I don’t care who tells me what happened, but somebody better do it soon.” A thunderous expression was taking over Marshal Thorpe’s face and Lauren winced. Now she really didn’t want to talk. She didn’t like it when people tried to intimidate her.
She relented, however, since the baby’s safety was at stake. “A man tried to get into the NICU without any credentials. He claimed to be Baby Girl Reid’s father. When I wouldn’t allow him entrance, he got angry.” Lauren paused, eyeing the baby, who was beginning to awaken with little grunts.
“So he left?” The marshal raised an eyebrow.
“More like fled when I sounded the alarm.” She moved toward the fussing baby.
He took out his phone and started typing something into it. “You didn’t recognize the man?” His piercing blue eyes fixed on her face as he looked up at her. He seemed to be watching for any sort of sign that might give away answers.
Lauren felt too exposed, though she had done nothing wrong. She was having trouble focusing. The questions, the attempted break-in—it was all becoming too much.
“I’m here to pick her up. I need to know who tried to take the child. Did you recognize the man?” The marshal’s voice held an impatient edge.
Thomas had slipped away while Lauren had been distracted with the marshal. She realized he was absent a little too late—she wanted to flee along with him.
Baby Girl Reid had set up a good howl now, but Lauren paused to consider the marshal’s latest question. Her face drawn, she shook her head before turning back to the child. “No, I’m pretty sure I had never seen him before.”
“And the mother is missing?” Marshal Thorpe’s brow furrowed.
Lauren nodded. “The security guard said it looked like there had been a scuffle.”
He pressed his lips tightly closed. “There should have been another marshal protecting the mother. She’s the daughter of a senator, and he keeps security with her at all times.”
Thomas strode in just in time to hear the comment. “We found him—just now, actually. An orderly heard something coming from a supply closet. There was a man bound and gagged inside. He was kicking and screaming when they pulled him out.”
Lauren’s eyes widened, but she took the opportunity to pick up the baby girl. The infant calmed immediately but squirmed and rooted as Lauren cradled her to her chest. “Is the baby in serious danger?”
By the time she looked at Marshal Thorpe’s face, he was sporting a fierce scowl. “It would seem so. The baby’s mother is the daughter of Senator Jack Jamison Reid. He has a lot of enemies. I was hired to protect her.”
Lauren felt the blood drain from her face. She had never experienced such a situation before. “Powerful enemies?”
“It’s likely the baby, the mother and now you are all in a great deal of danger.” He glanced at the door. “He’ll be back. We need to get her out of here, ASAP.”
Lauren was shaking her head. “What does this guy want with a baby?”
“I’m sorry—I don’t have time for all this right now,” the marshal asserted. “Besides, we don’t have enough information just yet to know. But Jack Jamison Reid was a lawyer before becoming a senator and has never been known to go easy on anyone. He keeps an extensive security detail in place for not only himself but also his daughter at all times. He seems to expect some threats.”
“Then why wouldn’t they have just hired someone to protect the baby? Why wasn’t someone here to protect her before this happened?” Lauren blinked at him a moment before realization set in. “Because she came early, right? They weren’t prepared.”
“Didn’t help that she was born in the middle of the night, either.” Marshal Thorpe looked almost angry about it. He rested one hand on his chest in an unconscious gesture.
“I don’t think that was anyone’s choice.” Lauren snapped the words, annoyed with his gruff attitude.
Before he could respond, Dr. Covington returned. She looked ready to do battle as she challenged the marshal. “Thomas said you are trying to take the baby.”
So that was where Thomas had gone, Lauren realized.
“It’s the only way to keep her safe.” He braced his fists at his waist, as if ready to fire back.
Lauren spoke up. “She is premature. She really should stay in the NICU for another day or two.”
Dr. Covington looked at Baby Girl Reid, nestled in Lauren’s arms and sucking rhythmically on a bottle that Lauren had just pulled from a nearby bottle warmer. “She’s right. The baby needs to stay here.”
The marshal was already shaking his head. “You’re putting the whole hospital and everyone in it in serious danger if she does.”
“What do you mean?” Lauren was unconvinced.
“If my sources are correct, the baby could be the child of Arnold Romine, DC’s infamous drug kingpin. If that turns out to be true, Senator Reid is right to have extra protection for his grandchild. That would just put her in that much more danger.
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